About

Practical Life

Everything begins with “practical life experiences”. In the Montessori classroom, these activities take center stage for our very young or new students.

In the Practical Life area of the classroom, children will find individual activities that allow them to practice and eventually master skills needed to become independent and self sufficient. This independence gives the child the confidence to thrive not only in a Montessori classroom but in everyday life as well.

Items found in a kitchen, such as tongs, funnels, pouring pitchers, scoopers, etc. are incorporated in the works. Children enjoy taking their time to investigate, manipulate, and practice until successfully learning to use such items for themselves. In the Montessori classroom, time belongs to the child. If a two year old really wants to button his own jacket, he can work on it as long as he likes. The teacher is not in a hurry, and does not feel the need to do for the child what the child wants to and can do for himself.

Sensorial

A child learns through his/her senses. The sensorial materials are specifically designed to develop a child’s ability to order and categorize the information gleaned through his/her senses. Children explore colors, sounds, smells, tastes, sizes and weight by matching and ordering the materials. These sensorial experiences prepare a child for other areas of the curriculum. Children develop vocabulary (long, longer, longest), prepare for advanced math concepts (the binomial/trinomial cubes), and learn fundamentals of science (temperature and weight materials).

Math

The Math area of a Montessori classroom allows each child to start at their own level and progress at their own pace. Children may choose a work over and over until they are satisfied they have successfully mastered the activity.

Children start with the very basic skill of rote counting and progress to the concrete concept of quantity to symbol. Simple addition, subtraction, even multiplication & division follow. Activities such as the positive or negative snake game or the bank game reinforce simple concepts in a fun way.

Language & Reading

Language in the Montessori classroom begins with verbal skills. The very young child is encouraged to express himself and communicate his desires to his teachers and peers. The children start with picture/name recognition. Natural progression leads to letter recognition, letter to sound recognition, simple word recognition, sounding out words, matching objects to the letters that spell the object, to reading basic words, sentence building, and eventually reading books designed for their level.

As language develops, the progression to writing comes naturally. Children can not wait to put what they know down on paper. Writing begins with the strengthening of the pincher grip needed to correctly hold a pencil. In the Montessori classroom children have been developing this necessary control through sensorial works such as the knobbed cylinders. Free form coloring soon turns to the drawing of shapes which develops into the formation of letters and eventually into words and sentences.

Geography

Where are we? We are in the universe in a galaxy called the Milky Way, on a planet called Earth, on a continent called North America, in a country called the United States of America, in a state called California, in a city called Walnut Creek. By moving from the general to the specific, a child learns his/her place in the universe.

We start teaching geography with the simple concept of water and land, using a globe with blue water and sandpaper continents that the children actually feel. We move on to a globe where the continents are distinguished with color; next is a map of the world and then separate maps of each continent. Excitement builds with each new continent introduced. What kinds of animals live here? Are there mountains? Does it rain all the time? What kind of food do they grow? Do the children go to a school like ours?

History

Beginning with the concepts of yesterday, today and tomorrow, children begin to understand the passage of time. The timeline, a fundamental Montessori apparatus, can be utilized to illustrate any progression of events.

Children learn about the past through stories of historical figures and how their bravery or accomplishments helped create the world we live in today.

Science

Children are introduced to basic concepts and classification of the natural world. Through hands on experiences and experimentation, the sense of wonder and understanding about the world around us unfolds.

Animals in the classroom bring out a child’s natural curiosity, leading to exciting lessons in biology and zoology. Why doesn’t our snake have legs? How can a snake without legs move faster than a turtle that has four? Why do some of our pets eat only vegetables? Montessori teachers are continually creating new curriculum based on the curiosity of their students.

Art & Music

At Alice’s Montessori, children are encouraged to express their inner artist. Art materials are always available to create one of a kind masterpieces using crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue, paint and a variety of feathers, stickers, stamps, etc.. Teachers also enjoy bringing their own artistic abilities into the classroom through planned art projects and activities.

Music is an integral part of the classroom experience. Children are introduced to classical music, popular children’s songs, instruments, and of course movement to music through dance.

Fun Time

Everybody loves a party! We celebrate birthdays, graduations and cultural events from many countries.

Throughout the year we have “in school field trips” that enhance our curriculum. Community helpers such as a fireman or policeman, visitors from the Lindsey Museum with a variety of animals, “The Mad Scientist” who puts on a show specifically for preschool age children, “Save Nature.org”, the list of possibilities goes on and on.

Children need plenty of time to be active and our playground is just the place to do it! With lots of room to run and jump, dig in the sand, climb up and slide down, play catch, or dance with your friends, there is always plenty of fun going on outside. Don’t be surprised if you see a teacher on the slide, running a race, or playing a game of “goose”, everyone enjoys being outside!